Photo Gallery: Photographing Urban Landscapes

Cityscape, Lower Manhattan

Photograph by National Geographic Creative

When we think of landscapes we tend to imagine wide-open vistas or dramatic mountains. But what about urban landscapes? Cities can be every bit as dramatic as the natural world and at least as dynamic. Not only do light and seasons change as in any landscape but the constant flow of people gives cities a serious buzz.

New York, especially, has a unique geography. Since Manhattan is an island the city has had to grow tall. That height, surrounded by water with its bridges and boats, makes New York a great place to photograph the urban landscape.

Get a mid-level city view.

Usually cities are seen from street level—standing at the bottom of narrow canyons of buildings. It can feel restrictive and dark. To bring life to an urban landscape sometimes the photographer needs to find a mid-level view that gives an intimate perspective.

There is a magical time of day after the sun goes down but before it gets completely black. There is enough light to still see the city but the buildings glow with interior light. Mid-level is still close enough to feel the experience of the city without looking down on it. In any city there will be publicly accessible bars and restaurants that let you look into the city. Google Maps is a great resource for finding places like this. Before visiting a city spend some time looking at map views of it for publicly accessible places that might give that mid-level view.

This photo is shot from the James Hotel in lower Manhattan. A wide-angle lens gives the photograph and the city a sense of space.

Photo Details

Camera: Canon 5D Mark III

Lens: EF 16-35mm 2.8 II at 23mm

Shutter speed: 1/6 sec

Aperture: f/4.0

ISO: 100

Manhattan Skyline, Staten Island

Photograph by National Geographic Creative

Get out and away.

To really see the skyline sometimes it is best to be out and away from it. The Staten Island Ferry is a great place to get some distance from NYC, but look beyond the obvious shot. This photo combines the city skyline, a ferry worker, and the railing of the boat to create an image about getting to and from this great city. The photo is shot with a 50mm “normal” lens that photographers often stay away from. Working with a 50 makes a photographer pay careful attention to where she is standing when she shoots.

Photo Details

Camera: Canon 5D Mark III

Lens: EF 50mm f/1.2

Shutter speed: 1/400 sec

Aperture: f/5.6

ISO: 125

Grand Central Terminal

Photograph by National Geographic Creative

Not all landscape photos happen outside.

A cityscape can happen inside a building, and few buildings in New York are more photogenic than Grand Central Terminal. Since cities are highly dynamic places, one of the challenges of shooting in them is giving photos a sense of movement. To put that bustle in the picture try using a long (one second, in this case) shutter speed and let the flood of activity blur through the image. In this photo the lone figure in white stood still long enough to remain sharp in the frame. He anchors the composition.

Photo Details

Camera: Canon 5D Mark III

Lens: EF 16-35mm 2.8 II at 35mm

Shutter speed: 1 sec

Aperture: f/10

ISO: 100

Kite Flying, Central Park

Photograph by National Geographic Creative

Be on the lookout for the intersection of people and landscape.

That intersection of people and landscape and cityscape can really come together in a place like Central Park. There is enough space to back off and see the skyline and—it being New York—all the wonderful, human moments happening all around. People are often a vital element in landscape photos (urban or otherwise). A person in the picture gives the photograph some focus.

Photo Details

Camera: Canon 5D Mark III

Lens: EF 16-35mm 2.8 II at 26mm

Shutter speed: 1/2000 sec

Aperture: f/5.6

ISO: 200

Street Art, Times Square

Photograph by National Geographic Creative

Wait for the right combination of elements.

When thinking about places to photograph in New York, Times Square is high on the list. It is a place that most visitors end up at some point on their trip. It is one of the most photographed places in the world. How do you make a picture that is just a little different? In this case, a little homework from the photographer came up with street artist JR and his Inside Out project. JR and a small army of volunteers were plastering Times Square with portraits of everyday people. Those portraits coupled with the flood of advertising above make the photograph.

Photo Details

Camera: Canon 5D Mark III

Lens: EF 16-35mm 2.8 II at 16mm

Shutter speed: 1/160 sec

Aperture: f/4.0

ISO: 400

Yellow Cab, High Line

Photograph by National Geographic Creative

Look down.

Sometimes the photograph is underneath you. This photograph looks at the street through New York’s High Line elevated park. The photographer waited for a yellow taxi to pass underneath. The cab makes the picture. You don’t always need to see the city skyline to know where you are. The strong light makes for hard contrast, and shooting in "bad" light is a challenge. But this photograph is successful because of the strong light. It accentuates the yellow cab and the dark shadows.

Photo Details

Camera: Canon 5D Mark III

Lens: EF 16-35mm 2.8 II at 35mm

Shutter speed: 1/800 sec

Aperture: f/7.1

ISO: 200

Spring Trees, Bryant Park

Photograph by National Geographic Creative

Keep your eyes open between locations.

Good photos often come in between moments. For this picture the photographer was traveling between Times Square and sunset at the top of the Empire State Building. Rushing from one place to another it is always tempting to put off an interesting picture and try to come back to it later. But photographs are momentary things and coming back later usually means missing the picture. As a photographer, if you see something interesting shoot it right then.

Photo Details

Camera: Canon 5D Mark III

Lens: EF 16-35mm 2.8 II at 35mm

Shutter speed: 1/800 sec

Aperture: f/5.6

ISO: 400

Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn

Photograph by National Geographic Creative

Know when to go vertical.

There are situations that just scream for a vertical treatment. Turning the camera accentuates the tallness of the street and lets the monumental Manhattan Bridge be the focal point of the photo. In a horizontal shot the bridge is too far away and the image feels claustrophobic. Going vertical makes the bridge at the end of the street a wonderful surprise.

Photo Details

Camera: Canon 5D Mark III

Lens: EF 24-70mm 2.8 II at 70mm

Shutter speed: 1/320 sec

Aperture: f/5.6

ISO: 200

High Line, West 23rd Street

Photograph by National Geographic Creative

Reverse your view.

When shooting urban landscapes a photographer will often shoot from an interesting place like New York’s High Line park. But sometimes the most interesting photos might be of that vantage point. By exposing for the sky the photographer has silhouetted the people on the High Line. Shooting raw format with the current generation of digital cameras lets the picture hold subtle detail in the shadows while exposing properly for the sky. In this frame a slight telephoto flattens the scene and makes it more graphic.

Photo Details

Camera: Canon 5D Mark III

Lens: EF 70-200mm 2.8 at 70mm

Shutter speed: 1/400 sec

Aperture: f/6.3

ISO: 200

Fifth Avenue From Above

Photograph by National Geographic Creative

Brace your camera in low light.

Even if photographers were allowed to carry tripods to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building it is so hectic up there that using one would be impossible. Imagine the most crowded subway car on Earth—it's like that on a pretty night. The photographer has to squeeze into position, make a few frames, and then get squeezed out. So how to keep pictures sharp when the sun goes down and the city gets interesting? The current generation of DSLRs work great at high ISO and bracing the camera against a railing gives great results at surprisingly slow shutter speeds.